Alternate
by Girl of the Islands
Summary: Maxon Schreave is a photographer and painter living life as a five. He works day in and day out to support his family and be a role model to the younger children in his neighborhood. Maxon is content in his place, having found the love of his life and planning to pop the question soon. However, his whole life is turned upside down as the new Selection begins...


_**Alternate**_

**Maxon Schreave is a photographer and painter living life as a five. He works day in and day out to support his family and be a role model to the younger children in his neighborhood. Although there are many trials and tribulations in his life, Maxon is content in his place, having found the love of his life and planning to pop the question soon. However, his whole life is turned upside down as the Selection begins…**

Chapter 1: Contentment

Maxon Schreave awoke just as the sun shed its morning rays upon the streets of Carolina and peaked into his small bedroom. Grumbling, Maxon pulled his blanket tighter around himself and attempted to catch at least another hour of sleep. However, fate had other plans for him. Or rather a bumbling mass decided to jump on him and yank him from the tendrils of sleep creeping into his subconscious.

"Maxon! Get up! You promised we could go to the field before you go to work!" A small brown haired boy yelled at him.

The honey blonde groaned and shoved the younger boy off the bed. The boy harrumphed loudly and without even looking, Maxon knew his pseudo younger brother's infamous pout graced his features. The area by his head dipped and he could feel the boy's heavy stare burning holes into the back of his head. It was silent as their battle of wills waged. After a minute, Maxon slowly turned around to face the boy.

Opening a single eye, the full force of his pseudo brother's pout hit him. Sighing loudly in defeat, Maxon threw the blankets off, "Okay, Danny, I'm up." Maxon prepared for the day as the ball of energy bounced excitedly around the room.

"You spoil him too much," a teasing voice stated from down the hall.

Maxon smiled to himself and shrugged his shoulders as he pulled his sneakers on. "What can I say? I have a weak spot for those large puppy dog eyes."

"Hey! I'm no dog," the young brunette yelled as he bounded into the hall.

"Oh hush!" his mother, Amberly, rebuked lightly as she came out of the kitchen holding a plate of buttered toast. "If you two are going out, at least eat something before you go."

The young boy bolted towards his mother and grabbed a piece of toast, Maxon following suit. "Don't be out for too long either! Your father will be upset," Amberly warned her son, who just smiled cheekily at her as he exited the house.

Maxon smiled at the young boy a few feet ahead of him. He'd always wanted to have younger siblings, but there were complications during his birth and his mother became barren.

It was a tough time for their family and his mother went through a long state of depression. She always wanted a large family and thought of adoption at one point but Illean regulations for adoption prevented the lower castes from doing so. Homes had to be in a certain condition and a family needed a set income before even being considered. Most fours did not qualify let alone fives and lower.

Instead of being a big brother in his home, Maxon befriended many of the neighborhood children and strived to be a good role model for them. He was viewed by many of the younger boys as someone they could look up to. He'd grown increasingly fond of one young boy in particular; Danny. Although his family was not small by any means, it was mostly girls with an older brother over twenty years his senior with his own family on the way. Maxon took it upon himself to do stuff with the boy that his sisters refused to participate in and add in a few extra activities in there as well.

As the two boys moved through the crowded streets of Carolina, they passed their old soccer ball back and forth, weaving around people who only smiled and waved good morning. The sight of the Schreave boy with another young boy trailing after him a common occurrence in their town. Once they reached the large empty field, the two spread apart and had a one on one game until more boys from the surrounding houses approached and they had a full on match.

Over an hour later, ten sweaty boys leaned up against a tree, passing around one large water bottle and trying to cool off after their match.

"I still say you guys cheated!" Danny stated a little bitterly.

"Give it up kid, you're never going to be able to beat me!" Carter Woodwork, a long time neighborhood friend, replied jokingly as he ruffled Danny's hair.

Gerad glared as hard as any young boy could and attempted to swat the other boy's arm but Carter was faster and moved away.

"Maxon, don't you need to get to work?" Carter asked off handedly.

Maxon shot up and looked at his wrist watch, noticing it was almost nine o'clock. "Oh shoot! Come on Danny, I have to get you home and get to work before I'm late!" the chocolate eyed young man rushed out.

All the boys laughed at Maxon's frazzled state as Danny stood up as well with his soccer ball in hand. The laughter faded away as the two boys ran towards their homes, taking the back way to avoid the people. He quickly dropped Danny off at his house a block before his own and bounded down the street. Huffing and puffing, Maxon crashed into his home and dashed into the bedroom to change and wash up a bit.

Coming out of the room in basic jeans and a shirt, Maxon grabbed his hat hanging by the door and was about to rush out when his mother stopped him.

"Not so fast young man!" Amberly called after him.

Maxon pivoted on his heel and moved towards his mother. He placed a quick kiss on her cheek and she handed him a brown paper bag with his lunch.

"Now you may go," she stated softly with a smile gracing her lips and Maxon flew out of the house and down the road.

Maxon dodged and swerved around moving cars and large groups of people, heading straight for his workplace. As he neared the small red building, Maxon slowed down and tried to calm his breathing. As he entered the cozy reception area, a petite blonde woman at the desk greeted him without even looking up.

"Only two minutes late, that's a new record," the blonde stated blandly and Maxon could only reply with a sheepish grin. "Boss is in his office."

Maxon moved down the hall and knocked lightly on the door. "Come in!" He turned the knob and walked into his boss's humble office with only a desk and two chairs, but the walls were covered in overlapping pictures, some old and fading while others were still new and vibrant.

"You're early for once, no pregnant woman or old lady in need?" the greying old man inquired with a teasing undertone.

"Nope! I'm here and ready to work," Maxon stated as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

The man eyed his suspiciously for a second before indicating Maxon to sit. "We've got a lot of work today, three engagement photo shoots and a magazine shoot for some local teen gossip thing," his employer informed him. "You'll be using a digital camera for one of the engagement shoots and the magazine shoot, think you'll be able to handle it?"

Maxon rose a questioning brow at the knowledge. It wasn't every day that any one in their area could afford to have digital photos taken. They were much more expensive than basic film photos and not many photographers even really knew how to operate a digital camera properly. Since a young age, Maxon always held an interest in digital photography and luckily for him, his mother found him someone to teach him and help cultivate his interest until it became his profession.

"Yes, I'm looking forward to it," Maxon replied, excitement bubbling up inside him. He would finally be able to use the beautiful master piece hidden away in his dark room.

"Good, go set up in room 3 for the film wedding shoots and room 2 for the digital. The magazine shoot will be on sight at 5 pm today at the old barn down by the fields," his boss informed him before waving him off to do his own work.

Throughout the day, Maxon's mind couldn't help but to wander as the happy couples-to-be stepped in front of his lens. They were all beaming and full of a joy that radiated off them and into the pictures. Maxon imagined that one day soon, it would be him on the other side of the camera; smiling and holding the love of his life in his arms as they prepared to join together as one.

On the set of the magazine shoot, Maxon's good mood dissipated at the prickly attitude of the people that surrounded him, especially the model, some bobble head named Celeste. They looked down upon him and Celeste sneered at him at every chance possible, reminding him of his status as a five. Griping at him for her own lack of prowess and grace. It was tiring and all he really wanted to do was yell right back at them all, he was a human just like them, simply born into a different caste.

At the close of the shoot, Maxon felt drained and wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep away his weariness, but he still needed to develop all the shots of the day and go through the digital ones and edit them.

In the dark room at his work, Maxon pulled his shoulder length, unruly blonde hair into a stubby little pony tail at the nape of his neck and set to go through hundreds of photos. Hours later, Maxon cleaned up his space with a good amount of varying shots from the different shoots completed and ready to be picked up the next morning.

A knock resounded through the small room and Maxon threw a dismissive _enter_ over his shoulder as he meticulously packed his digital camera away. Lithe arms wrapped around his midsection and a supple chest pressed into his back. A smile graced the blonde's features as he turned around in the young woman's hold and captured soft lips into a gentle kiss.

As the young couple continued their embrace, Maxon felt the stresses from the day melt away. He knew then that all the troubles were always worth it as long as the young woman in his arms was there for him at the end of the day. After all, everything for her, to give her a better life. "_Daphne, my dear_," Maxon practically growled against her lips as her fingers lightly caressed the skin above his jeans.

In response, Daphne teasingly bit at his lower lip. Maxon smirked and let himself indulge in the sinful pleasure for a moment longer before grabbing the young woman's wrists and pulling away.

"We're treading in dangerous waters. We should stop," Maxon stated even as he panted and his pupils dilated.

"What if I don't care? I want to be with you Maxon," Daphne replied as she pressed herself even closer to his muscled chest, if that was even possible.

He leaned his forehead against hers and placed a chaste kiss on her nose. "You will be, I promise… _soon_," Maxon whispered, his breath a caress on her lips.

"When? Your father will never approve, can't we just be together as we are now?" Daphne argued, her fingers playing with the hem of his shirt.

Maxon sighed and leaned back against the desk. His father's approval had always been at the back of his mind but he'd continually pushed it aside. Although Daphne was a beautiful girl at heart and on the outside, she was a six.

They met around the time Maxon first started working at the small photography business. She was part of the cleaning crew that came to the office every other day. One night, only a few months after he started, he'd been working late into the night when he'd knocked over one of the developing trays. A small bit of the solution splashed onto a cut he'd had on his leg. He cried out quite loudly in pain and Daphne came barging in, rushing to his side when she saw him on the ground clutching his leg. The rest is, as they say, history.

A year and a half later, Maxon was head over heels and he wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of his life with the young woman wrapped in his arms. However, he knew that his father wanted him to marry a girl of a higher caste and be able to move up in society.

Ever since the beginning of King Shalom's reign, the caste system was slowly but surely changing. There were no more eights and a few programs were created to help them properly integrate themselves into a regular society. In addition, it was easier for differing castes to marry and gender did not matter if one of them was of a higher caste as long as their love was proven true. Man or woman, the individual in the lower caste would move up to the caste of their significant other.

Despite his father's wishes, Maxon had fallen in love with a girl from a lower caste and he couldn't be happier. Looking directly into the young woman's eyes he couldn't help but to feel his conviction strengthen. "It matters not, we're going to be together," Maxon stated.

Daphne smiled at him and they resumed their make out session for a few more minutes. This time it was Daphne's turn to pull away, albeit hesitantly. "I've got to go before they get curious about what's taking me so long to take out the trash," Daphne said although she did not move from within his arms.

"Naughty girl, lying to your own siblings to come hang out with a _scoundrel_ like me," Maxon teased as his hold tightened.

Daphne giggled and slapped him lightly on the chest. "Well if you cut your hair and shaved every day rather than once a week maybe they'd stop judging you by your cover and look inside," Daphne replied wistfully, running her hand through his hair and pulling the pony tail out in the process.

"Daphne! I know you're in there! Come on we have to work!" A deep gravelly voice yelled through the door, causing the couple to jump a part with deep blushes painted across their cheeks.

"I…I'm coming!" Daphne stuttered out rushing to the door and coming face to face with her oldest brother. Her brother scanned the room and gave his sister a once over before glaring daggers at Maxon who simply looked away embarrassed. Daphne smacked her brother lightly on the arm and pushed him out of the door way. "Good night Maxon," Daphne called over her shoulder just as the door shut behind her.

With a bit more jump to his step now, Maxon cleared his workspace and headed home. It was already passed eleven at night when Maxon stepped into his humble abode. All the lights in the house were out except the small desk lamp in his father's studio, where he spent most of his days painting.

His father's work was actually quite popular with some southern threes who continually asked for pieces. It was in the south that his father had met his mother. Clarkson had been showing his work at a gallery and Amberly played piano and sang in the background. Amberly had taken immediate notice of Clarkson, regal and intimidating, traits not usually seen in fives. She pursued him for weeks on end until he fell for her and they married soon after.

However, Maxon would never understand how someone as soft spoken and kind hearted as his mother could have fallen in love with someone so prickly and reserved like his father. They were complete opposites, especially in the way they treated him. Clarkson was harsh and unforgiving, quick to snap, whereas Amberly was gentle and coddling, slow to anger. Maxon liked to think that he was more like his mother in that regard as he was never much of the tempered sort.

Silently, Maxon crept passed the door to the studio and to his bedroom. He quietly changed out of his shoes and tossed his dirty clothes into a pile in the corner. Too tired to even change into a proper set of pajamas, Maxon collapsed on the small bed in the corner of the room in nothing but his undergarments. Almost immediately sleep over took him and he dreamt of wedding bells in the small chapel down the road...

**Not exactly the new story I promised in the beginning of the year, but I love this idea just the same! I'll eventually post the other story but for now I've been entertaining this idea for a while and decided to write it! Will probably be very long with long chapters as well!**

**Please R&R! It'd be much appreciated and inspires me to write more!**


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